Jefferson Lighthouse library renamed for a former student and teacher

Supporters of renaming the Jefferson Lighthouse's library in honor of Catherine Hagar, a fifth grade teacher at the school, attend the School Board meeting on Jan. 12. Hagar's sister, Mary Androff, and son, Matthew Hagar, are sitting next to each other in the front row.

Catherine Hagar attended Jefferson Lighthouse Elementary School as a student, and returned to teach fifth grade at the school for 21 years. Her mother, sister and three children also attended the school.

So it was appropriate, and touching, that the school's staff organized a proposal to rename Jefferson Lighthouse in honor of Hagar, who died recently.

The School Board voted unanimously Monday night to rename the library the Catherine A. Hagar Learning Center.

The first donations to the center came from Hagar herself. She asked that memorials at her funeral be made to Jefferson Lighthouse. Money donated in her honor will be used to upgrade the learning center's technology, add books to the library and buy a new sign with Hagar's name.

Stella Young

School Board candidate Stella Young was the only one of three non-incumbents to attend Monday night's special School Board meeting (It was "special" because board meetings are typically held on the first and third Mondays). Fellow challengers Kim Plache and John Leiber did not attend.

Incumbents Gretchen Warner and Don Nielsen were at the meeting. School Board President Tony Baumgardt, who is not seeking re-election, did not attend.

Jackson Parker

Unified will keep interim Superintendent Jackson Parker on the payroll for another six months. The board agreed with new Superintendent James Shaw's request to keep Parker around part time. Money is available in the budget to keep Parker because Unified did not fill another position in its Central Office.